Victorian terrace receives contemporary revival

Located in Walthamstow, the Black Ridge House forms part of the Warner Estate, home to well-designed and well-built properties renowned for their distinctive character. Designed by Neil Dusheiko Architects, the Black Ridge House boasts a spacious extension which comprises an open plan kitchen, dining room and living area on the ground floor and a master bedroom and sky lit bathroom on the first floor. Charred Kebony Cladding by Shou Sugi Ban was selected to transform the original three bedroom Victorian terrace and provide a long-lasting and attractive timber finish for the extension at the rear.

Inspired by Wabi Sabi, an ancient Japanese philosophy which centres on accepting the imperfect and transient nature of life, the Black Ridge House features an irregular shaped extension which cleverly exploits the flexibility of the timber. Carefully installed to minimise waste, the skilful integration of cladding cleverly separates the different elevations of the building. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects, has been charred by Shou Sugi Ban to create ‘Minami No’ cladding which was combined with Shou Sugi Ban’s enhanced grain Kebony cladding ‘Hijō ni mirikiteki na’ to form the dark black exterior façade - a compatible match for the property’s exposed black steel structure. In addition, Neil Dusheiko Architects have embraced biophilia with materials including reclaimed timber for the internal doors and natural oak for kitchen work surfaces and cupboards.

Shou Sugi Ban, a Japanese term which translates to ‘burnt cedar board’, is a UK based company that manufactures wood using this ancient technique of burning, brushing or pre-weathering timber and has added Kebony to its list of products to deliver a product of unique and intriguing appearance. Kebony is an ideal material for this fire applied process as it develops an interesting surface and a deep black colour, whilst retaining its impressive level of durability. Developed in Norway, Kebony is an environmentally friendly patented technology which modifies sustainably sourced softwoods. By polymerising the wood’s cell walls, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of the hardest tropical hardwood.

Karl Harrison, Founder of Shou Sugi Ban, commented: “The dark exterior of the Black Ridge House, in contrast to the spacious and light interior, really makes this project stand out for me. As always, it has been a pleasure to work with Neil Dusheiko Architects and Kebony to achieve the desired finish for this beautiful yet irregular extension.”

Adrian Pye, International Sales Director at Kebony added: “Combining two types of Charred Kebony Cladding by Shou Sugi Ban to differentiate between each floor has created an immensely durable and eye-catching exterior ultimately transforming this old Victorian terrace into a contemporary property fit for the modern day.”